The man made Ile aux Cygnes
The iconic Statue of Liberty stands majestically in New York Harbour, but several more modest replicas are nestled in different corners of Paris.
One of them is located at the western end of Île aux Cygnes (Swan Island).
Standing at 22 metres tall, this replica is certainly smaller, but no less impressive, turned westward, towards its big sister, which rises on the other side of the ocean.
The Île aux Cygnes is an artificial dike, built in 1827 to reinforce the construction of three Parisian bridges.
It serves as a link between the Pont Bir-Hakeim and the Pont de Grenelle, and is traversed halfway by the Pont Rouelle.
This artificial dike, originally called Digue de Grenelle, is 890 metres long and 11 metres wide, and was landscaped and renamed Île aux Cygnes in the 18th century after its connection to the left bank during the construction of the Champ de Mars. It also boasts breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower.
It was fully developed in 1870 with the Allée aux Cygnes.
This charming tree-lined and landscaped promenade planted with 322 trees and shrubs from 61 different species, including poplars, willows, ash trees, maples, chestnut trees, walnut trees and lime trees.
The Île aux Cygnes also offers relaxation and leisure areas with benches placed at the foot of the Pont Grenelle and along the Allée aux Cygnes. A public fitness area equipped with a variety of sports equipment, including a climbing wall and stationary bikes, was created near the Statue of Liberty, at the western tip of the dike.
The Île aux Cygnes can be accessed via the Bir-Hakeim, Grenelle and Rouelle bridges.
Replica of the Statue of Liberty in Paris
France presented the Statue of Liberty to the United States to commemorate the centennial of American independence in 1776.
Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi directed the creation of the sculpture, commissioning renowned architects Viollet-le-Duc and Charles Garnier to design and build the metal structure.
Gustave Eiffel took over the project after Viollet-le-Duc died in 1879.
For nine years, from 1875 to 1884, six hundred people participated in the construction of the statue.
Once completed, the monument was carefully packed into 214 containers and transported to its location at the entrance to the port of New York.
President Cleveland presided over the inauguration ceremony on October 28, 1886.
Following this historic event, numerous replicas were cast and distributed to various cities in France, including Paris.
You can find these smaller replicas in the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée des Arts et Métiers.
The impressive bronze replica of the Statue of Liberty on the Île aux Cygnes is a gift from the American community in Paris to the city of Paris, presented during the centenary of the French Revolution.
Originally facing east, the statue was reoriented to face its “big sister” in New York for the 1937 Paris Exposition.
French President Sadi Carnot unveiled the Statue of Liberty on the Île aux Cygnes on July 4, 1889, the anniversary of American Independence.
A commemorative plaque for this historical event adorns the base of the statue.
The statue holds in its left hand a tablet bearing the dates July 4, 1776 – July 14, 1789, symbolising respectively American Independence and the Storming of the Bastille.
The area around the Statue of Liberty underwent a complete renovation in 2012 to highlight this iconic symbol of freedom and Franco-American friendship
Directions: 15th district – Access on Pont Bir-Hakeim and Pont de Grenelle
Metro: Bir-Hakeim on Line 6
Velibs’ stations: Nos 16112/16023/7025
Coordinates Statue of Liberty: Lat 48.850313 – Long 2.280232 – Pont Bir-Hakeim Lat 48.855580 – Long 2.287572
